A Wembley man who was locked up as a teenager for the brutal torture and murder of an acquaintance has lost a High Court bid for early release.

Pardeep Sivanesan, now 31, was one of four men jailed over the killing of 18-year-old Supenthar Ramachandran in Roe Park, Kingsbury, in 2002.

Mr Ramachandran had been held him against his will, was battered to a pulp and taken to the park where his body was doused in petrol and set on fire.

Sivanesan, who was only 17 at the time and lived in Chalkhill Road, was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years for his part in the murder in 2003.

Taking his case to the High Court, he claimed he had made ‘exceptional progress’ in prison, justifying a reduction to allow an earlier parole bid.

But after reviewing his case, Mr Justice Nicol said the progress made was not good enough to allow a cut in the term.

The ‘particularly brutal’ nature of the killing had to be taken into account, said the judge.

Sivanesan was the youngest of the killers and was said to have looked up to the more experienced criminals.

He had been bullied at school and looked to them for support.

However, since being sent to prison his behaviour had been ‘exemplary’, he had passed vocational courses and even been allowed an escorted visit to a town centre.

His lawyers said that the progress justified cutting time from his minimum term so he can apply for release on licence earlier.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Nicol said: “He has made good use of his time in custody and I acknowledge that he has made progress, but I am not satisfied that he has crossed the high threshold of exceptional progress.”